


We Don't Talk Anymore

by Crazy_luna



Series: Owari Magica [37]
Category: Owari Magica
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:22:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26810602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crazy_luna/pseuds/Crazy_luna
Summary: Percy and Vanessa chat and have a friendly fight
Series: Owari Magica [37]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1815574





	We Don't Talk Anymore

**Author's Note:**

> 5 exp each for me and furu due to this being a friendly match!  
> 1600 points for furu  
> 1555 points for slytherin!

Percy stepped into the sanctuary, wiping his hands on his jeans. He'd called Nessa down to talk and whatever else might help. They hadn't really seen each other or talked since who knows when, and with everything that had happened, with his absence and Belladonna, he wanted to clear the air. He hummed as he wanders through the sanctuary. "You here yet?"

Vanessa was texting away on her phone when Percy arrived, her brow furrowed in frustration. Sending her grandmother's possessions back to relatives in Deli was proving to be more of a task than she expected when she began. Sliding her phone into her pocket she shot Percy a smile from where she was sitting;  
"Hey there, Perce. How're you holding up"? She hadn't seen him that disaster of a witch hunt and the loss of Mrs Sakura has led to a lot of free time as school had closed for the time being.

Percy offered her a smile of his own. "Better than ever. How have you been?" He settled into the seat next to her. "You holding up well?

Vanessa shrugged. Honestly a lot of things that went wrong during that fight are pulling at her, failing at helping the others--especially Vondila--her magic failing her and the fear of what may have happened to her soul gem, Belladonna showing up while she was having a nap. She let out a heavy sigh before turning to face him properly;  
"It's been a hell of a year, I'll say that much".

He couldn't argue that. "Yeah, everything keeps happening and there's nothing we can do to stop it. And Vondila... have you seen her yet?" He had a million questions, but he didn't want to be the one to bring them up. Ana. Bella. The only thing his heart didn't feel confused over was their mortality and the witches, but he had a bad feeling about that subject. He didn't want to start more fights.

"Not--Not really" She had dropped by and it was awkward and short. Which would probably only make things even more awkward in the future.  
"I feel like such a failure, you know. I have this power to heal you guys and I jus--I can just about fix a paper cut" She felt her shoulders sag, maybe she was reaching her limit, just how long to Incubator's expect magi's to live? Do their powers expire after a while?

Percy frowned. What? "Hey, nessa, you're not a failure. Without you, a whole lot more magi would have died. You're the most important part of the team, and I'm not kidding." He flashed an attempt at a comforting smile. "Don't beat yourself up, okay?"

Vanessa smiled back, but it didn't reach her eyes. She appreciated what he had to say, she really did. Just hard to fight the facts.  
"So, aside from my pity-party" Vanessa stretched, deciding to move the subject away from herself; "What did you want to meet up about"?

"Well, to talk and" he mimed throwing some punches in her direction, making it clear that they weren't meant to connect. "Spar maybe? I've got some new moves. You?"

Vanessa blinked.  
"OH! Yeah, sure. We can do that, yeah" She got up, Percy always seemed laid back, she didn't expect him to want to train or spar. Maybe with everything going on he wanted to prepare more?

Percy slid off the couch after her. He wasn't usually the type to worry about fighting... but a lot had changed lately. Besides, he wasn't sure he could connect with the other girl over video games, his usual poison. It worked with Bella and Sierra and Lu, but Ana was proof that he couldn't always reach out in the way he understood. Sometimes he had to come at it from a different perspective. They headed out for the sparring area, or, rather, he followed her. "Have you ever used this spot back here?"

"Back in the early days. Me, Von and Ana used to spar and I recently taught Ophie how to hit" She replied, running her thumb over her ring, almost lost in thought at how much really has changed since she made her wish. Shaking it off, she triggered her transformation.

Percy transformed midstep, his hoodie getting tighter on his form and his new gold cape falling over his shoulder. He grinned and did a little twirl. "You're the first one who's seen, how do you like it?"

Vanessa applauded his twirl and let out a low whistle, impressed. She still didn't really know why their clothes changed after time, although the events that have happened before a costume change implied they were tied to big life events.  
"Very nice".

He nodded. "I'm glad it changed. Feels... fresh. Like a new start." And in part, it was. He had knowledge and new friends, even if his own misgivings weighed on him and made his stomach twist. He could ignore that, right? He took a breath and gave a big smile to shake the train of thought. "So, how do we get started here?"

With a flourish of her skirt, a number of cutlasses fell to the ground, embedding themselves into the stone, kicking one up she caught it midair and took an "en guarde" pose.  
"We just hit each other without trying to hurt each other".

Percy reached into his cape, the gobstopper landing heavily on the ground. "Sounds good to me. Ladies first?" He was a little worried about the "try not to hurt each other" part. Ans and Sierra had both attacked Belladonna, after all. Maybe he was just being paranoid...

Turning her cutlass so that the blunt edge would hit him, Vanessa swung wide and wacked him in the arm, just enough to sting a little.  
"Obviously you're supposed to dodge, man" she smirked.

Percy laughed at that, dodging forwards to throw a light punch. In the process, he tossed his mace behind him. The punch lands, and he grins. "I got a pair of brass knuckles... but figured it's easier to practice a punch than it is to actually have that on while I do it. Don't want to hurt you, Ness."

Vanessa staggered back with the hit and missed her next attack, her sword flying over Percy's head.  
"Nothing I can't get over, but thanks. I'd hate to hurt you too".

Percy got spooked by the blade being so close and misses his next punch as well, ducking to the side. "So what's going on with you, huh?"

"Just...thinking about stuff" She hooked her leg around his and trips him over.  
"Did I ever tell you how I became a Magi"? she asked, leaning over him.

Percy yelped, missing her as he tried to kick at her. He blew some hair out of his eyes. "No, how?"

"It wasn't long after my Nanii died, I was a prime target for a Witches kiss, so there I was" She pulled Percy up to his feet and then flipped him over her shoulder "essentially going to be a victim to a witch when this Magi showed up. I later learned that her name was Estelle Sanchez"

Percy missed another punch, yelping as he lands heavily. He gets back up, quicker this time, but not by much. "Yeah? Then what?"

"Sh-she died" Vanessa fumbled with her swing and her sword clattered to the ground.  
"She died saving me".

Percy grabbed the sword and used the handle to get in a shot, barely making sure that it didn't actually impact. "Yeah? So you asked Flow to help you?" He didn't know what the right response was. He didn't hate the incubators, didn't hate what was happening to them. But Nessa.... seemed torn up. So who was in the wrong here, between them? Was he heartless?

"She died, the witch was dead. To leave the Labyrinth I needed a contract, at least that's what Flow implied. Seeing what Estelle did, knowing that there are others going through that as well, I wished to help and protect other Magi's" picking up one of her spare cutlasses from the ground, Vanessa threw it but it didn't even get close to Percy.  
"Don't get me wrong, I'm sure if I didn't agree I'd be dead It's just..." how much did Percy actually know?

Percy ducked forwards to do another mock punch, landing it on her shoulder. "You're fucked either way." He says it simply. The one subject he was confident in, of course it would be what she would start with. "Either we die young and pretty, or become the villain. Right?" Like pulling a bandaid off. It was easier for him than it would be for her to hear it, he was sure.

"I mean, I'm always going to be pretty" Vanessa laughed, having Percy this close, she let show a small blast of magical energy, it did as much damage as a static shock from touching a metal bannister at the mall, but was impressed she pulled off that feint.  
"But. Yeah, feels kinda like I'm fighting a losing battle sometimes. Guess I just wanted you to know where I stand" on a lot of things, she thought.

Percy yelped from the shock, but gets in another just-barely-light-enough hit. "I have a thought for you: you're alive. Can't that be enough? Isn't every day you're not stuck inside better than being gone forever? Isn't being here with everyone enough?" His frustration with Ana was making him exasperated, shit.

"It should be, but is it too much to want to keep everyone else alive, too"? So long as Belladonna was scheming, then she was a threat to the one thing keeping Vanessa going. She released another tingling strike of magic, sending it up Percy's arm and causing a small spasm.

Percy repeated her flipping trick but over his own shoulder, biting his tongue to keep from rolling his eyes. Between Ness and Ana, he wanted to scream. "It's not too much, but you have to have a balance. You can't say that everyone is going to make it. Stressing over it won't get anyone anywhere, will it?"

Vanessa was left winded with the throw and couldn't land a retaliation if she tried.  
"Then who do I chose? Who do I pick to protect and who do I leave to die"? She asked him, still lying on the floor where he left her.

Percy leaned down and patted her cheek. "You don't. You try to live, and love who you can, and if someone falls, just remember them. What else can we do?"

"We can fight. That's what we do. That's the entire point of being a Magi, isn't it"? She sat up and stared at him.  
"You know, don't you? Where witches come from. It's her goal to make more, how can I just stand aside and be okay with that"?

"You don't have to be okay with it." Percy settled down in front of her. "And of course I know. It's not hard, after a while. I just... I guess it doesn't bother me. Does that make me a terrible person?" He couldn't meet her eyes. He didn't care about the answer, he didn't. He just... wanted to know where she stood on him.

There was a pause where Vanessa didn't move an inch before replying;  
"It doesn't, it makes you stronger than I gave you credit for. But what does bother me is someone trying to hurt the people I love. I'm not asking you to fight, Percy. She's just as human as us, but I'm not letting her go ahead with her plan".

He didn't know how to feel. He laughed once, a short burst. What a weight off his chest... "I didn't say I was helping her, did I? I've always been on the back burner, through all of this. Why would she be any different?" His heart ached as he thought about the last time he and Ana talked. Argued. Whatever. "Besides, maybe I did something smart for once."

"I never said you were," Vanessa noted, getting up and dusting her skirt off "Just knew you were uncomfortable with the idea of fighting her. Honestly, if this was happening two-three years ago? I would probably be in the same boat". She picked up her cutlass and waved it gently, testing its weight.

Percy stood up easily. "She's a magi too. Causing problems, but she has reasons. I'm not saying I'm on her side," he lifted his hands in surrender. "But I'm not going to stop feeling how I do."

What was he saying? She wasn't accusing him of helping Belladonna, or of being a coward for not being against her, so why so defensive?  
"S'fine" she said with a shrug.

Percy rubbed the back of his neck. Why was this getting awkward again? "I... didn't want to talk about the witch thing. Or the Bella thing. I just don't know what to talk about anymore, I guess? It's been forever. And I don't know where I stand with... Anyone. I guess." He shook his head. "Sorry."

"Well, for all I care. I'd like to think we're on the same side" she shot him a smile and a light punch to the arm. Deciding to do him a favour, Vanessa decided to change the subject;  
"Sooooo, you seem to be getting cosy with Luis, how's that going stud"? Her discarded cutlasses shattered into a swarm of butterflies and she disappeared from his vision.

Percy's face fell. Luis' mom flashed before his eyes, with that mean face and disinterested words. "Not... not well."

Vanessa's shoulders sagged. Crap. That's not how she expected that to go.  
"Do you...uh, do you wanna talk about that"?

Percy shrugged. "I don't know what happened. I... do you want to know what happened there?"

"I want to help, if I can" which she doubted, she was still freaking out about somehow stumbling into a relationship with Ana. She swung at Percy but left herself open enough that it was easy for him to dodge her.

Percy stumbled into the swing, wincing. "I... I think he hates me. One minute everything was fine, the next I gave him a valentine's day present and bolted to fight the witch, and then when I tried to talk to him the next day his mom told me he didn't want anything to do with me. And... he won't respond to my texts, and he hasn't been online on any of the games we played together, and I don't know what I did wrong."

Oof, that sounded rough. Vanessa had the faintest idea if what Ana's mum was like from her, from what it sounded she was a real tool.  
"Do we--uh, I mean, do you know how his mum feels about you two...being together"? Was that it? A spike of fear of Ana coming under any type of fire for dating her flashed in her, but Vanessa swallowed it. Ana had about as much to do with her mother as Nessa did with her own parents, the concern was for Luis.

Percy blinked in confusion. "To... gether? I'm not... Luis isn't... he's not interested, and I'm not dating anyone. Why do people keep thinking that?" First Sierra, now Nessa.

"YOU'RE NOT?!" Vanessa blinked in shock, that was totally the vibe she got from them.  
"Sorry man, I just thought, with Ana's reaction to you two hanging out and how close you seem...my bad" she rubbed her arm in embarrassment. But maybe his mum also thinks that? If other people are asking that too...

"Ana... apologized for that. I didn't know he was her brother when we became friends, and he didn't know I knew his sister. I'm just unlucky like that, I guess." He shrugged. It wasn't easy to figure out the situation, he'd tried.

Vanessa knew how it felt, to not know where you stood with others, but what could.she say to make him feel better?  
She toed the ground, furrowing her brow in concentration and dropping her transformation.

Percy looked up at the noise, studying her face. It didn't seem to be any kind of tactic... his own melted off until he was just looking at her. "I just have to wait this out, right? It'll make sense eventually, right?"

Vanessa gave him a weak, but heartfelt smile. That sentiment seemed to be the story of everyone's life right now, wasn't it?  
"Yeah, right" she straightened out her hair and relaxed.

He sighed. "So this was a draw, right? No way to win a spar. Just... wanted to clear the air. Been feeling alone lately." It slipped out before he could grab the words, and he winces. Hope she won't take it personally...

Vanessa chewed her lip, with a lot of things going on she had been trying to give everyone their space, not freak them out with her worries and fears, she didn't realise that the others' would miss her presence.  
"Sorry about that, Perce. I figured it was one of those "If you wanted to hang out you would've said something" kind of deal. You know? I'll try to do better" she promised. She had to do better for the others.

"Don't be sorry about it. Just because I'm lonely doesn't mean it isn't my fault. I'm not in a birdcage anymore, Ness. It's my job to break free." He flashed a smile. "And... I'll try to do better too. Want to hit the hot springs before we head home?"

"There are classier ways to get me out of my clothes, Perce" Nessa joked with a wink and a a shove before agreeing.

He snorted and shoved her back. "Sure, like I'm interested." He rolled his eyes. "I've got enough on my plate, romantically speaking." Percy shook his head. "Not that I really want to get into it."

"Yeah. I know that feeling" she sighed. Was she moving too fast with Ana? She had no intention of dating her when she offered her to move in, she didn't want to take advantage.

Percy sighed and shrugged. "Don't stress about it. And on the magi side- you're not alone, Nessa. Everyone's together, and we're doing our best. That's all you can ask. All anyone can ask. Right?"

Vanessa leant her head on top of Percy's and gave his arm a reassuring squeeze.  
"Thanks, Perce"

He shifted to give her a proper hug. "Now c'mon, we worked up a sweat. You tossed me around a rag doll..."

Vanessa wrinkled her nose.  
"Ugh, yeah. We smell" she noted letting go and heading for the hot springs.  
"You're coming along well, Perce. Now let’s get cleaned up!" 


End file.
